The modern lifestyle, characterized by limited physical activity and high consumption of calorie-dense foods, has led to an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome, elevating the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus.
In response to this growing public health issue, various types of functional foods have been reported to help reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome indicators such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia.
Rising public awareness of health has also driven increased demand for functional food products, including those containing probiotics.
This demand inspired the research team from the Laboratory of Dairy & Egg Technology, Department of Animal Product Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Animal Science UGM), led by Professor Widodo, to develop a functional food based on fermented milk.
“Functional food refers to food products that contain bioactive compounds or beneficial microbes in sufficient amounts to provide specific health benefits. Beyond providing basic nutrition, functional food also delivers health effects through its bioactive components,” explained Professor Widodo on behalf of the research team on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.
The research team from the Laboratory of Dairy & Egg Technology, Department of Animal Product Technology, includes Professor Nurliyani, Endang Wahyuni, and Satyaguna Rakhmatulloh.
Professor Widodo elaborated that one of the indigenous probiotics developed by the team is Lactobacillus casei strain AP, which was isolated from the digestive tract of breastfed infants in Indonesia.
He further explained that preclinical tests of the fermented milk product containing L. casei strain AP, conducted on diabetic rats, and clinical trials on obese individuals, have shown the product’s ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Consequently, the product was named Lowkol (low cholesterol).
Meanwhile, to improve gut microbiota and help prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus, the team has developed a variety of probiotic strains aimed at maintaining intestinal health.
“One of the probiotics developed by our team that has shown efficacy in addressing diabetes in laboratory rats is Pediococcus acidilactici strain BE, isolated from the digestive system of breastfed Indonesian infants,” said Professor Widodo.
He stated that preclinical tests on diabetic rats revealed that fermented milk containing Pediococcus acidilactici strain BE effectively reduced blood glucose levels and improved pancreatic beta-cell function.
This product has been named Lowcose, short for “lower blood glucose.”
Both Lowkol and Lowcose have received halal certification and are currently undergoing trademark registration.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna